Lies of Velvet and Scars
by AnotherBook
Summary: While imprisoned on Asgard following the events of "Avengers," Loki has a visitor who's come from a bit farther away than Midgard. Neither of them is innocent. But then, they aren't really that different from each other. Warning: Somewhat dark. Posted by Erin.


**Author's Note:** This follows along with my other Avengers/Doctor Who crossovers-"Displacement," featuring the Doctor and Thor, and "Love is For Children," where Natasha and the Doctor have a heart to heart.

Currently listening to the PianoGuys' "Rolling in the Deep."

I would rather have Loki than the Doctor as my mortal enemy. If the Doctor doesn't scare you sometimes, then either you are shallow, or just plain stupid.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Somehow I was missing a whole paragraph from this. WHAT?! *facepalm*

 **Lies of Velvet and Scars**

A tall figure wearing a long cloak came silently down the stairs at the left of the dungeon. Loki watched ambivalently. The guards moved to block the visitor, but there was a short exchange of words and they allowed him to pass. Loki resumed his indolent turning of the page as his visitor stopped just outside the cell.

"Have you come to gloat, Theta Sigma?" Loki asked.

"Please don't butcher my name in that boorish way," his visitor asked quietly, but with a knife edge under his voice. "I think we both know why I'm here."

"You shouldn't have come, you sanctimonious traitor," Loki said smoothly.

"There are a few people who can get under my skin, but you are not one of them," the visitor told him. "Midgard is under my protection, and Thor's. Is that why you went there? You wanted to strike a blow at your brother?" Loki scoffed.

"The Earth is nothing," he said. "Merely a starting point."

"How bored do you have to be to turn to this? How empty?"

"Don't preach to me. You're no better than I am," Loki drawled. "Didn't you kill every other member of your own species?"

"You shouldn't tempt me," the visitor said. "I don't think you understand what I'm capable of. You're childish and petty, Loki. You've never _needed_ anything in your life. You never wanted for anything. You've never starved, you've never been pressured into a cruelty, you've never been forced into terrible choices where one option was as bad as the other."

"What will you do to a prisoner?" Loki asked, smiling. "I didn't even succeed when I tried what you did. I suppose you're better than me." With a rustle of cloth, the visitor dropped down to look Loki in the eye. Brown eyes blazed with forcibly contained rage.

"Thank whatever powers rule this universe that your brother was there to stop you, Loki Laufeyson. There was no one to stop _me_ that day." He smiled bitterly. "You don't understand why I'm here, then. I guess I'll have to tell you. We are no different. I'm just a little more worn, a little more desperate."

"Two centuries younger," Loki drawled.

"Don't interrupt. I am _talking_ ," the visitor said through clenched teeth. "We are exactly the same. I've just been through a little more. The only difference between us is that I choose to preserve life, not to dominate it. The path you've set yourself on is slow poison to the soul. I have seen it happen before. I may be your junior, but I lived harder. And this way is hard, I probably won't live to a thousand, the wear and tear is building up. But at least this way, whenever I look in the mirror, I can look myself in the eye and hate myself just a little bit less. Tell me you don't despise yourself, Silvertongue. Look me in the eye and tell me that. You won't, because you can't. Your lies are perfect, but I still can see the truth, because we are no different and I've lied too. I've gotten so good at it that it frightens me.

"But there is one thing I will never lie about. I made the choice to wear my hearts on my sleeve, to keep myself accountable, because I know all too well what I'm capable of. Lie and you only betray yourself. Try to say you have no weak points? Everyone has their Achilles heel. I choose to let myself care, so that I'll always have someone to stop me. I need them. Don't lie to yourself and hide your weaknesses, you'd do yourself a disservice. Your weaknesses tell you what you are. They can be your greatest strengths, they can make you a good person." He shifted back on his heel.

"I won't insult you by asking you the reason why, because there wasn't one. It wasn't even revenge. You attacked the Earth, not because you wanted power. Just attention. You might have gazed over the edge of the universe and seen the horrible things lurking in the darkness, but you have yet to experience desperation or need. You're just a bored, envious, greedy child, imagining yourself neglected." The man stood up.

"Stop imagining yourself wronged. Try to reclaim the love you had for your brother," he advised. "Love all too easily turns to hate."

He turned on his heel and left.


End file.
